I am Madness, I am Love
by athena2517
Summary: What's the difference between this fic and all other Hatter/Alice fics? I love him as he is! Totally adn completely bonkers! No sanity in this! My story shows the challenges and delights of being in love with a madman. Sequel coming soon!
1. An unexpected arrival

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Alice in Wonderland…sorry to disappoint.

Key: **Bold** is angry taken over hatter

_Italics_ is recovering squeaky-voiced hatter

Tarrant studied his hands under the table. Mally and Thackery were asleep, Thackery on the table and Mally in the tea pot. Tarrant kept his head down, his hat hiding his eyes so that he appeared sleeping. It had been a long time since Frabjous day. Alice was gone. She said that she wouldn't forget him, and he took some solice in that. **Bloody English upperland girl. Thinking she could come in here and act like a friend and protector then just leave like that that ugly, stupid, cowardly**-

"Hatter!"

"_Thank you…I'm fine…_"

He hadn't meant to say that last part out loud, sometimes his temper got the best of him. "I'm fine." He repeated as if that could make it true.

"Honestly Tarrant, not too long ago you were doing the futterwacken again. Forget about our champion for a while." The fool cat had re-vaporated on top of his hat again. "If I have to remove more shed fur from my hat I will be very displeased."

Chess rolled in the air and floated in front of Tarrant, smiling. "Or, you could try your luck in Upperland."

"Upperland!" Mally squeaked.

"Upperland." Chess confirmed.

"Upperland." Tarrant thought.

"Scones!" Yelled Thackery.

Tarrant hopped up onto the table, spilling his cold tea and walked. "It's worth a try, its been dreadfully dull and boring here since Frabjous day, even through the rebuilding. A stroll around Upperland shouldn't be that hard right?" He heard slight protests from behind. He strolled through the woods until he got to the small door. He reached into his pocket and took out the Pishsalver he always kept there.

One of the many benefits of being a master hatter who dabbled in all other clothing was that he had the knowledge to design clothes that shrunk and grew with the wearer, although they were hard to make. He strolled through the doorway and took a bite of Upelkuchen.

As he grew he started to hear a faint whistling, like ringing in his ears, or the meow of a cat, or a scream. That was getting louder and louder and-

Something heavy landed on his shoulder, he hit the ground and was blinded by blue fabric. There was a groaning sound and a female voice said, "Ow, what did I land on?"

"_Alice?_" Tarrant yelped.

R & R please! I'll love you forever!

Very helpful website: .com/spots/alice-in-wonderland-2010/articles/52699/title/characters-full-names-glossary-underland-terms


	2. She's back

A glimpse of how the Hatter's life has been sans Alice.

Alice had been trapped thinking about Wonderland. Everywhere she went memories followed her. She wondered if he was mad, and remembered what her father said to her, and what she said to the hatter, her Hatter. Her madness was like a rope, or a trail of bread crumbs, tying her to the hole in the ground that led to Underland, her Wonderland.

One day she was back in England. Her mother had died, her sister had a beautiful daughter, and she was still the same girl who stupidly crawled out of the rabbit hole. She ran and ran as fast as she could because all of a sudden she felt as if she were going to be late for something. She imagined she saw a white rabbit in a waistcoat hopping in front to her. After miles and miles she fell to her knees in front of an overgrown rabbit hole. She dug out the entrance a little further, getting dirt under her nails, cutting her hand on a rock in her haste. She dove down the hole, to her home.

She screamed as she fell, she heard a sound like a closing door very far away. She hit something immensely hard and fell on top of something soft…ish. She groaned. She heard a muffled "_Alice?_" coming from underneath her. She lifted her head and looked down to see a pair of mismatched socks. "HATTER!" she cried. She leapt off of the squished madman. He sat straight up and bounced to his feet when he saw her, his eyes the brightest of greens.

"Alice! It _is_ you! I thought so because not many people know this is here and you were wearing blue like you were when you first came here and look your normal sized and everything and I was just about to come looking for you up in Upperland because you said you wouldn't forget me but I wanted to make sure and I'm glad your back but not particularly glad you landed on top of me but if that is how you greet people in upperland I suppose-"

"HATTER!"

"Fez…"

"I'm glad to see you too."

"Oh, good! You are very late you know, naughty. Then again, you weren't supposed to leave, we've all missed you terribly."

He grinned that gap-toothed grin that she had loved and missed so much. She threw her arms around his neck and he returned the embrace. Something was missing.

She reached down onto the floor and picked up his hat, placing it securely on his head. She reached out for the key to the small door and the hatter took it from her and unlocked the door, he gave the pishsalver to Alice and put the uppelkuchen outside the door. They shrunk and the hatter noticed a certain problem.

Alice's upperland clothes did not shrink with her. He took off his long jacket and handed it to her with a scarf to tie it closed. Once she was normal sized again he offered her his arm and led her to his home.

His home was as mismatched as he was. The windows were all different sizes, the walls different colors and heights, which caused the roof to tilt in zigzags. The door was her favorite part. It was covered from top to bottom in hatpins. He opened the door and led her inside. Past the sitting room and kitchen was his huge work area. Fake heads littered the floor shelves and his desk. Bolts of cloth and patterns were strewn everywhere. There was just one thing missing.

"Hatter, where are all your hats?" He looked surprised.

"Ah, I haven't been making many… oh! I have one! I made this for you after you… left." He dug in one corner and came up with a splendid hat. It was the same shape as his. It looked very new. It was powder blue with silver silk ribbon. She tried it on and of course it fit perfectly.

"Hatter it is wonderful! Thank you!" She noticed a metal lump in one corner. "What's this?"

"That is a crown, or the beginnings of a crown. This white queen did not want to wear the same crown as her sister forever. I have not started it yet; I have been lacking… inspiration, since you left. **Like you had better things to do than to stay with your friends who had protected you and risked their lives to help you on Frabjous day-**"

"Hatter?"

"_I'm fine…"_

"Are you sure?"

"No."

"I'm sorry I left."

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"Good." Hatter said and bent down to examine a bolt of cloth. "Stand behind the screen and hang up the jacket please." He said, grabbing scissors and cutting madly into the cloth.

She stood behind the screen listening to the clipping noises until a puff of cloth landed on her head. "Try this on for size."

She grinned; she had missed the sound of his voice. It was a simple green dress and she did a double take in the mirror when she noticed the ribbon around her waist that read _Champion_. "I like it." Alice and the hatter said at the same time.

"We should go to the white queen's castle, many people are waiting for your return…unless… were you planning on staying this time?" As he asked the question his eyes turned a worried and sad blue-gray. "I want to stay, and this time, there is nothing stopping me." The hatter's eyes turned green again and he held out his arm and led her away.


	3. Journey to the castle

Hatter walked through the familiar woods around his house with unfamiliar feelings riding shotgun. He was hyper-aware of Alice's hand on his arm. As good as it was to have her back, he felt like it was a dream. As wonderful as dreams could be, you had to wake up sometime.

"Hatter, your eyes are turning gray."

"Are they, how incredibly strange."

Alice had been called a dreamer, she had been told that her head was perpetually in the clouds and she had repeatedly been called stubborn. Other than Absolem, no one called her stupid. She knew that her absence had wounded the hatter more deeply than he was letting on.

She stopped walking, forcing the hatter to jerk to a stop beside her. "I meant it you know. I'm staying, if you want me to." His eyes wavered between gray and green. She took that as a good sign and continued. "I missed you. I was… busy. I don't know how long it was here, time seems to be different here than where I come from. It felt like forever. Everything was good; I was a new person after I met all of you. I knew what I had to do in life. I went to China and watched them build first train to that country. I mad new friends and I'm an aunt now, my niece's name is Danielle Mirana. I suggested the name; my sister thought it was pretty.

"I'm going out of order, my niece was born before my trip to China. I wasn't there for long but it was amazing! There were so many people! Everything was so strange and new.

I was called home after two months. My mother got sick. I came back and she was… she wasn't doing well. She said how proud of me she was but that she couldn't stay.

"She died two weeks later. I hate that she could never see this place, see how happy I am here and all the strange and wonderful things and people. After she died I was… sad, I guess would be the word. I was free though, to do what I wanted. I didn't really care to see what else the train business had in store; it's not nearly as interesting as the things here. I'm so happy to be back, I can't wait to see everyone but I miss her-"

"Alice."

"I'm fine."

"I disagree." The hatter took her hand and put it by her side before wrapping his arms around her and putting her head on his shoulder. She hugged him like if she let go she would fall into oblivion. He rubbed her back soothingly.

"I'm sorry." She said when she stepped out of his embrace. "I didn't mean to go off on a rant like that." "

"There is absolutely nothing to be sorry about. Sometimes a rant is needed to clear the mind." His newly green eyes and his cautious smile were enough to make her grin. "You know? I believe you are right. By the way, when I was traveling the world, well, the upperland. I asked people your little riddle."

The hatter looked taken aback by the sudden change of topic. "And?" he asked, wondering where she was going with this. "My favorite answer was that they both have inky quills." The hatter gaped at her for the longest time then started laughing; she smiled then started to laugh with him. Before long they were clinging to each other in an attempt to stay standing. Tears streamed down Alice's face and the hatter was clutching his ribs. "Our champion not only slew a jabberwocky she found an answer to an impossible riddle!"

She grabbed the hatter's shoulders and forced him to stand up straight. "Aren't we supposed to be going somewhere?" With a few remaining snorts and giggles he continued to escort her to the White Queen's castle.


	4. Old friends

The rest of the walk was much more pleasant than the beginning. It seemed as if their laughter had cleared the air of the loneliness and grief that Alice's absence had caused. They arrived at the castle and the hatter guided her into the throne room. Lady Mirana looked up from her conversation with McTwisp and stood. She walked...no…. glided down the stairs to grasp Alice's arms and kiss her cheek.

"McTwisp, tell the cooks to make a feast tomorrow for our returning champion!" Alice smiled and told her, "You knew I was coming."

"I guessed Alice, you left behind some friends and memories that would inevitably call you back. Welcome home, champion."

"It's about time!" An irate Mally called from the floor. "You were gone a long time!"

"Now Mallymkun, she's back now and that is all that matters." Chess's floating head said. "So, Tarrant, did you go and collect her?" Tarrant smiled.

"I did not have to, we… ran into each other… before I could reach upperland." Chess smiled knowingly and Tarrant had to wonder if Chess had sent him towards upperland for that reason, but then again, Chess always smiled knowingly.

"The Tweedles and Thackery are out in the gardens. I suggest you say hello before they hear that you're back from someone else." Lady Mirana said sweetly.

The hatter showed Alice the way and they followed the sound of the Tweedles arguing. As they entered a clearing in the orchards they heard Thackery yell, "The REAL ALICE?"

Alice laughed as the Tweedles ran forward and started babbling about how glad they were to see her. Thackery continued pulling on his ears until the hatter reassured him that yes, it was the real Alice, home at last.

They spent the day playing in the gardens. From time to time the hatter would catch himself admiring her hair in the sun or the smile on her face. Then he would shake his head to clear it and remind himself how much he valued her friendship. They played tag, hide and go seek, and a few games not known to upperlanders. By the end of the day Alice's white shoes were brown, her legs were tired and her face was sore from smiling so much.

R & R please! Good or bad, I don't take it personally! I apologize if you don't like short chapters but I prefer writing in short segments with breaks in between. Hooray for summer break! I have so much more time to write now!


	5. A gilded cage

Alice woke the next morning in a sea of fluffy white blankets, in a white room, with white furniture. It didn't take her long to remember where she was. When she rolled out of bed and wiped the sleep from her eyes, she saw two dresses laid out on the table. Before she could examine them she caught sight of a note stuck to one of them.

_Alice,_

_ The White Queen wanted me to bring these by this morning for you to wear today. The pink one is for the day, the silver is for the ball. You were asleep when I came in this morning so I just left them here, hope you don't mind._

_-Hatter_

She smiled and put on the pink dress to meet the day.

The hatter walked down to mid-morning tea hoping Alice would be awake and come down to join them. He had been embarrassed that morning, accidentally walking in on a sleeping Alice. He wrote the note and dumped the clothes on the dresser as quickly as possible but he couldn't help but notice how peaceful she looked. So innocent and-

"Hatter!"

"Yes?"

Alice was running down the hallway towards him, she pounced on him, squeezing the stuffing out of him.

"What was that for?"

"You're a good friend." Alice said. "The best anyone could ask for."

And that summed it up. Friends. He was starting to hate the word. He wasn't quite sure what he wanted from Alice but it was something more than friendship, because friendship, no matter how wonderful, has limits. So they had tea, and they talked and laughed and felt wonderful in Wonderland, but they were just friends. Somehow, someday, that would change, perhaps far sooner than poor Tarrant suspected.

That night, before the ball Alice stood in her room, holding up the silver gown. The look and feel of it said Hatter. Innocently enough she thought _He must really care about me to do all this just for me._ That thought was like a wall breaking down so she could see beyond. He cared for her, cared about her. She lowered herself shakily down into a chair. She finally felt what her heart had been trying to hide.

She feared love above almost anything else because she had long seen it as a cage. You get one suitor who asks your hand, you say yes, and you are chained to him and his life forever, but Hatter. Hatter made her happy, he liked… loved her for her independence and her mind. If she were free only to choose her cage in life she would make the wisest choice. She would take the gilded cage; the best part about it was that this cage opened from the _inside_ as well as the outside.

"Alice?" Mirana called from the doorway. She was already dressed in a gorgeous white dress and her hair and makeup were perfect, as always. "I came to see if you needed help getting ready.

"I would love some help." Alice replied. She got dressed and Mirana brushed and did her hair like an older sister. Mirana smiled in the mirror at her. "You look stunning, and unless I'm mistaken, I believe Tarrant will be eagerly awaiting your arrival." Alice's heart did flip-flops.

"Mustn't keep him waiting then."

Author's note: Whew! I'm really going through these chapters! Love summer! I'll be done this fic in no time! But don't worry my readers there is much more to come! I'm as anxious to see where this ends then you are… although maybe that's not saying much… see you next chapter! R & R please! 


	6. Confessions in a song

Warning: songfic ahead. The song is falling in by lifehouse, which I do not own.

Tarrant waited in the hallway, trying to look like he wasn't waiting. He had worked for almost twenty minutes on Alice's dress, which was an eternity for him. He just knew that it would be perfect for her. Even knowing that he was stunned senseless when he saw her, his eyes lighting up like fireworks in surprise.

"Hatter! You look splendid." He had picked his most colorful outfit, and of course he was holding his hat under one arm. She took the hat and placed it on his head as he searched his shaken mind for words. "You are beautiful." Was what he came up with, in a panic attack he hoped that she wouldn't notice that he meant she always looked beautiful.

"I appear to need an escort, would you mind?" She asked. He could have done the futterwacken he was so happy. "Of course not." He led her to the ball.

It was a while before he gathered the courage to ask her to dance, partly because he wasn't sure she knew the dances, partly because he was so nervous he was afraid he'd trip. When they finally danced it was perfect. The music started.

_Every time I see your face,_

_My heart takes off on a high speed chase now,_

_Don't be scared it's only love, _

_Baby, that we're falling in._

He almost jumped at the lyrics, but seeing the big smile on Alice's face as they started to dance made his eyes glow green, she put her arms around his neck and he put his hands on her waist gently, as though he was scared she might break.

_I can't wait 'til tomorrow,_

_This feeling has swallowed me whole,_

_And I know,_

_That I've lost control._

As the music sped up a bit, they started to move a little faster, and somehow a little closer. He wondered if this was a dream, if all this was his own mind, but he could never dream up something this good.

_This heart that I've followed,_

_Has left me so hollow,_

_That was then, this is now,_

_Yeah you have changed, everything._

Before she had arrived he had been lost in grief for his destroyed world. Then she came again like a ray of hope, he would do anything to keep this light with him, to warm his heart.

_Every time I see your face,_

_My heart takes off on a high speed chase now,_

_Don't be scared it's only love, _

_Baby, that we're falling in._

Alice looked up into his smiling face and green eyes and laughed in joy. He spun her around the dance floor, dodging other dancers some of whose movements were defying gravity, and the laws of physics.

_I would never do you wrong,_

_Or let you down or lead you on,_

_Don't look down, it's only love,_

_Baby that we're falling in._

Alice couldn't believe her luck with the music choice. Looking into his eyes like she was, it was almost as if the music was saying her words for her.

_I'm standing in your driveway,_

_It's midnight and I'm sideways,_

_I have to find, out if you feel the same._

They bumped lightly into another couple, laughing. The hatter spun her and led her more towards the edge of the crowd.

_Won't be easy, have my doubts too,_

_But it's over,_

_Without you I'm just lost, incomplete_

_Yeah you feel like home, home to me._

They were completely unaware of their friends' gleeful eyes on them. Chess hung in midair, humming along. Thackery made odd noises and hopped up and down, tugging on his ears. The tweedles argued about what dance they were doing. Mirana whooshed by them, dancing with someone Alice didn't know, smiling at them. They didn't notice.

_Every time I see your face,_

_My heart takes off on a high speed chase now,_

_Don't be scared it's only love, _

_Baby, that we're falling in._

They stopped dancing at the same time and agreed that they needed a break, a breath of air and a drink. In seconds they were leaning against a wall side by side, drinking a strange blue-green beverage that the hatter said was his favorite.

_I would never do you wrong,_

_Or let you down or lead you on,_

_Don't look down, it's only love,_

_Baby that we're falling in, falling in._

"This is a really good song." Alice said. She wasn't sure where this conversation was going to go but she dove in headfirst anyway. "I hadn't heard it before until now." Tarrant said, sounding like he agreed.

_All those nights I stayed awake,_

_Thinking of all the ways to make you mine,_

_All those smiles will never fade,_

_Never run out of ways to blow my mind._

"You brighten things up down here, without even realizing it." He informed her. "I've never been happier here, than when I'm with you."

_Every time I see your face,_

_My heart takes off on a high speed chase now,_

_Don't be scared it's only love, _

_Baby, that we're falling in._

"You know it wouldn't be Wonderland without you, Hatter." She said, a smile in her eyes. "I came back because I love it here, with you." She felt a small triumph, she had used the words I, love, and you, in a sentence all together. She worried she was moving too quickly, that she was rushing things, but she had spent a long time in upperland thinking about him, she had been away too long, she had to make it up to him somehow, and she did love him.

_I would never do you wrong,_

_Or let you down or lead you on,_

_Don't look down, it's only love,_

_Baby that we're falling in, _

_Don't be scared it's only love,_

_Baby, that we're falling in_

"It took me longer than I'd like to admit to realize it, but I left because I had to, I came back because I want to, because of you. I came back because I love you, my Hatter. And I know that you care about me." Her heart was beating so fast it almost burst. His mouth as open slightly in shock. His big eyes were huge and…green. "I love you too Alice." He turned to face her, "I've wanted to say that for a long time." He admitted. He leaned forward, hesitated, wondering if he was taking it too far. He kissed her softly. Alice's knees almost gave out.

I know that was almost too much fluff to handle, but this song was a huge inspiration to this fic, I recommend looking it up on YouTube. If you have any requests for a song that I should use in the future, or if you don't like songfics, let me know. Recommendations are inspiration and much appreciated!


	7. Shadow on the tea party

Alice closed her eyes as her Hatter's lips brushed hers. She imagined that she could hear cheering…or maybe it wasn't her imagination. The tweedles, Mirana, and even Mally were smiling broadly and clapping quietly watching them. The Hatter didn't appear to notice and when she started laughing and blushing he looked confused. "We've attracted an audience." She explained. He looked up and laughed.

"We'll be the talk of the castle, I'm not sure if that's a good thing." Hatter said

"I'm fine with it, but I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" Hatter motioned for her to continue. She led him into the hallway and asked, "Could you kiss me again?" He grinned and kissed her. They reentered the ball and danced some more, with each other and a few others. They ended with the hatter and Mirana dancing while watching Alice who was dancing in a ring with the Tweedles. As the ballroom grew dim and the guests started to leave Hatter pulled Alice aside and invited her to the lunatic's tea party the next morning.

Alice was the last to arrive for tea the next day. The clearing was bright with sunlight and the broken cups that sat on the table the last time she was there had been replaced with new ones. She took her seat between the Hatter and Thackery.

"Tea time!" Thackery shouted and threw a teacup at Alice's head. She had been expecting it so she caught it and allowed the Hatter to fill it.

"Good morning everyone." She said.

"Morning." Mally said, sounding tired.

"Evening!" Thackery shouted.

"Good morning, Alice." Hatter said.

"Yes it is quite pleasant isn't it?" Chess said as he floated above his seat. "A little early with the late night we all had, you and Alice seemed to quite enjoy the music selection, Tarrant." Chess said with a smile.

"Yes we… hang on… That song was you?" Alice didn't have to ask what musical selection he was referring to.

"Yes it was. I thought you might enjoy it. Oh, come now Tarrant. I've had the misfortune to have to live with you after Frabjous day, I so wanted to see you futterwacken again."

"Thank you, Chess." Alice said before the Hatter could reply. "We enjoyed it very much." Being this close to the Hatter after the night before was giving her butterflies in her stomach. "Pass the scones please?" she asked to change the subject. Then she caught the scone that Mally sent flying towards her.

"After tea I was considering taking a walk through the woods, would anyone care to join me?" The hatter asked. In the end they all had a very pleasant tea and the hatter, Alice and Chess went for a walk while Mally rode on Tarrant's hat.

"No better way to go than by hat!" Mally said from her perch. Alice smiled at the memories of her own trip by hat, at the time it had been terrifying, but she would definitely try it again given the chance.

"Where are you Alice?" Tarrant asked. She was about to reply that she was right here, when she realized he meant her mental state.

"I was just remembering my own journey by hat."

One corner of his mouth twitched in a half-smile. "Not exactly happier times, as I recall I was a bit peeved at you, but as it turns out, you do slay."

"I do don't I?" She said. "You did pretty well yourself, besting the Knave." He was frowning now, his eyes were less green as he said, "Unfortunately, he is still alive." Alice grabbed his hand and pulled him to a stop.

"Come along, Mally. Let's leave the happy couple to their talk." Chess said, taking the mouse in one paw.

"That doesn't sound like you." Alice said.

"I know it may seem wrong to wish he was dead but… I don't think Mirana made the right decision, banishing him. He's still out there somewhere. He's smarter than he appears, smarter by far than the red queen. I fear he will be back one day and as wonderful as it is here, especially with you… I fear these times must end soon."

Looking into his gray eyes she placed her hands on either side of his face. "If these times must end then I suggest we make the best of them! If Stayne does come back, we will deal with him, just like we did before. The red queen or someone like her will not rule again, we will not allow it. We mustn't let worry stand in the way of our lives."

"How is it you always know just what to say?" he asked.

"I don't think about it, I just say what's on my mind." She replied.

He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "One of the many things I love about you." He whispered into her hair, he couldn't see her smile, but he knew it was there.

Hope you liked this chapter, we got some foreshadowing goin' on HINT HINT look forward to it! I hope this chapter was good! I was halfway through when I got the "where the heck am I going with this?" feeling. OH NO! I blame the swim meet last night that went until 11:30. There should be rules against that!


	8. A deadly message

Underlandians were definitely the outdoorsy type. They would drink tea outside, take a walk, play games outside, drink more tea, and then they would finally go inside to sleep so it was no surprise to Alice when she was invited to a picnic with all of her friends one sunny day.

They walked through the woods, Hatter and Alice and the Tweedles all carrying baskets while McTwisp walked next to Mirana and Mally rode on Bayard's back. Chess, Alice assumed just evaporated and re-vaporated at the picnic site. Alice listened to Hatter telling riddles to anyone that would listen; once she heard "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" he had never told anyone that he now knew the answer.

The funniest part of the day came when the Hatter picked berries and made a game of throwing them into people's mouths. When he threw one straight up in the air for himself and a bird flew over and grabbed it out of the air, cackling as it flew away. The Hatter looked at Alice, eyes wide in shock, she doubled over with laughter. He mock scowled at her while she laughed, but he couldn't hold it for long, soon he had his arm around her shoulders and he was chuckling softly while Mally laughed insanely on Bayard's back.

They arrived at a clearing to find Chess sunning himself like a regular cat. They laid out a blanket and sat down. Alice would later remember this day in brief flashes.

Mirana laughing at the Tweedles' antics.

Hatter kissing her in the sunlight.

Mally slipping in a puddle of jam.

McTwisp running off, late for something.

Hatter and Alice sharing the last tart.

Bayard acting nervous.

Darkness.

Hatter watched as Bayard grew more and more anxious. He kept whipping his head in the direction of the trees, like he could hear something the rest couldn't. Just as he was about to ask what was wrong, something whooshed past his head. Alice cried out.

He turned, startled and saw Alice clutch her side, where the tail end of an arrow protruded from a stain of blood. His mind went fuzzy, like he was going to pass out. He told himself there was no time for that and grabbed Alice's back as she fell backwards, making sure she didn't hurt herself further.

"Your Majesty! Mirana!" he yelled, not sure if he wanted her help with Alice or if he wanted her safe, turns out he got both. As Bayard ran, barking madly, into the trees with Mally riding on his back yelling battle cries, Mirana helped him lift the groaning and fainting Alice into his arms.

"This way!" he said, and took off towards his home. "Don't you think we should take her to the castle?" Mirana asked. "I'm not sure if she'll make it to the castle." He said, it almost killed him to admit it. Alice was now unconscious and the bloodstain was spreading too rapidly for Tarrant's liking.

They fled to Tarrant's house; Chess had gone to the palace to get a healer. Tarrant placed Alice carefully on his bed and cut away the clothes around the arrow, he was afraid to take it out. He noticed something peculiar; the veins surrounding the wound were black. He felt a ringing in his ears. "It's poison." He told Mirana unnecessarily. She lowered herself, shaking into a chair.

Chess re-vaported right next to Mirana, she yelped and jumped in shock. "I apologize, your Majesty for giving you a shock but I thought it best to hurry." Chess said. He had brought along a healer. Tarrant looked surprised and said, "I didn't know you could evaporate with others."

"You can't." Chess replied. "I can, sometimes."

A cry of pain came from the bed; the healer was removing the arrow. Hatter leaned against the wall, and then slid down it to sit on the floor. His mind finally let him realize what was happening, after he had done what was needed. Alice had been shot, by an arrow, and poisoned. He felt like he had been mule-kicked in the chest. His Alice, someone had hurt his Alice. His eyes had turned a flat, endless black with fear, worry, shock, and hatred for whoever had hurt his Alice.

Mirana sat down beside him; she put her hand on his shoulder in comfort. "You need to see this." She said. She held out the arrow. It was completely black; the point was in the shape of a heart. "This was attached to it." She held out a piece of paper, he took it in trembling fingers and read.

_Dear mourner of the Queen's Champion,_

_ Now comes the day where you pay for what you have done. Amazing how someone strong enough to slay the Jabberwocky is unable to save herself from a little poison. Does she look helpless? Hopeless? Is she in pain? Soon her heart will be as black as mine. I wish I was there to see but I have more important things to do. The Red Queen is dead. I have killed her and have taken over her army of freaks. As you mourn for your champion, mourn for your kingdom._

_ This arrow, sent with love and best wishes,_

_From the Black King of Hearts. His Majesty _

_Ilosovic Stayne. _

"**The arrogant bastard signed his name on a DEATH SENTENCE when he signed this note! I'll show him no mercy and no one shall mourn the evil beast that is Ilosovic Stayne!"**

"Tarrant, calm yourself."

"**No one harms my Alice, no one! If he wants the Kingdom, if he wants my Champion dead, he will have to go through me! If he comes within my sight, by god I will tear him APART!"**

"Tarrant!" cried Mirana. "You can't help her if you are stuck in your rage!"

"_Thank you… I'm back._"

"I haven't seen you do that in quite a while Tarrant, she must have quite an influence on you."

"She is everything to me." His eyes were a sad and worried blue gray. "I love her." He admitted. "More than anything else."

The healer had walked up unnoticed.

"The bleeding won't stop completely until we stop the poison. I can't do anything else for her here." The healer said.

"Then we will take her to the castle." Tarrant said. "Will it hurt her if I move her?" he asked

"Of course it will hurt her! She's wounded! We don't have much of a choice, a little hurt now is better than death later." Tarrant couldn't even think about what his world would become if she were dead. He walked over to her, the poison was already spreading, and the black veins wove around the wound like a macabre spider's web. The newest blood coming from the wound was black. He realized what Stayne had meant; if the poison reached her heart… he couldn't finish the thought. He kissed her pale forehead and whispered, "Do not fear, my love. I'm here, I will look after you, always." He lifted her as carefully as possible. "Let us go." He said.

It wasn't a very long walk to the castle, but carrying Alice, Hatter was tired by the time they reached the gates. He quickly took Alice to the healing rooms, she was barely breathing, the Hatter was afraid he had been too slow. He laid her on the bed while the healers grabbed potions and bandages. He was so tired that the moment he sat down by her bed he fell asleep.


	9. Nightmares

_ The entire world was aflame. The smell of smoke filled his nostrils and coated the back of his throat. His skin stung where burning pieces of ash fell upon it. The soles of his shoes rasped against the burnt ground. There was something flitting through his mind. He would remember, then forget before he could remember he had to remember it. Sometimes being mad was tedious. There was something missing, something important. "Mally? Thackery?" he called. "Where are you?" He kept walking. "Mirana? McTwisp?" His foot landed on something soft._

_ The enormous body of the Jabberwocky stretched out in front of him. That something he was trying to remember rushed through his mind again. The ash was a thick layer on the ground; he had to drag his feet through it for every step. He remembered. "Alice?" he called. "Alice, my love? Please answer! Where are you, Alice?" He tripped over the severed head of the Jabberwocky and when he fell, he was in the castle. There were black cobwebs everywhere, stretching from the floor to the ceiling, he backed up slowly and hit another web. He turned around and in the center of the web, was a black heart, still beating._

_ He yelped and ran away. He was brave, but this was ridiculous, he needed to find his friends, he needed to find Alice! Opening the door to the throne room, he tripped again. He looked back to see Mirana lying on the floor, a drip of blood running from the corner of her mouth, her eyes opened wide and glazed over. In the corner was McTwisp, lying there in the kind of still only death can achieve. Mally he found drowned in a water goblet. Thackery was found in the kitchen, a broken teapot on his head._

_ His stomach rolled with every new sight. He wanted to scream and cry for his friends, but didn't know what he might awaken if he did so. "Alice?" he whispered. "Alice, please! Please be here! Please, please, don't be dead." He ran through the castle, through the burning orchards, past the shattered windows, into the dead gardens. He found her._

_ She was laid out perfectly, like she was asleep. He knew she wasn't. Her paler than pale skin reflected the light of the fires. In one hand she held the Vorpal sword, in the other, a hatpin. He reached out to her and paused, then laid his hand upon hers. She was as cold as ice. A gravestone rose up to meet the sky over her head, it read:_

_**Here lies the Champion of Underland**_

_**Faithful Underlandian,**_

_**Beloved friend.**_

_ It had no name and his blood boiled in fury. She was the champion, but she was so much more! She was Alice, she had tea with lunatics and royalty alike, and she loved Underland. She loves Tarrant Hightopp. He kissed her forehead._

He woke up.

With a gasp he jerked from his seat and hit the table and swore creatively. He opened his eyes fully and the first thing he saw was Alice. The dim light from the doorway lit up the side of her face like the flames in his dream and for a second he thought she was gone. Seeing her chest rise with breath made him fall back into the chair, knees weak with relief. Her face was as pale as the White Queen's castle, even her lips were pale. He pulled his chair towards the bed and laid his forehead against hers.

"I'm here Alice, I found you. You just came back to me and I won't give you up so easily, I promise. I love you, Alice." He fell asleep with their heads on the same pillow.


	10. Don't try to stop me

"Potion!" Thackery yelled as he entered the room, followed by Mirana. Tarrant jerked awake in surprise. He reluctantly lifted his head from the pillow, from the smell of Alice's hair and the comforting sound of her breathing.

"Good morning Tarrant, I hope you slept well, we were loath to wake you after such a day."

"Thank you your Majesty, that was kind. How is she?" he asked as Thackery hopped up onto the bed by Alice's head.

"That remains to be seen, would you give me a hand?" He helped Mirana uncover the upper half of Alice's sleeping body. Mirana went to lift up Alice's nightdress to take a look at her bandages, Tarrant flushed scarlet.

"Maybe I should, um, leave?" he suggested.

"Why would you do that?" Mirana asked.

"Unless you need help, it wouldn't be proper, I mean we are courting after all…"

"I do need you, proper or not, and more importantly Alice needs you."

He took a breath as Mirana revealed the bandage and skin beneath the cloth. He gasped and his eyes started stinging with unshed tears. She was so beautiful, but she wasn't doing well. The poison had spread, it ran across her entire stomach and down onto one leg, more distressing than that was that it had spread to her rib cage, close to her heart. Her perfect beauty marred by black, deadly poison.

"Hatter?" Mirana asked. Thacker pulled on his ears in anxiety.

"_I'm fine_. You said you had a potion, old friend?" he asked Thackery. Thackery held out the vial of blue liquid. Mirana took it from him.

"Hold her up." She ordered Tarrant.

He slipped his arm under Alice's shoulder and lifted her gently, sliding his shoulder under hers and resting her head under his chin.

"Higher." Mirana commanded. Something in her voice worried him. He sat her almost all the way up, the blackened veins continued on her back, going even farther, as Mirana poured the potion into Alice's mouth, they spread. They formed a black rope around her spine; black lines ran down her right arm and panic gripped Tarrant's heart.

He didn't say a word, just looked into Mirana's eyes and laid Alice down onto the bed. The poison had climbed higher on her rib cage as well. He held Mirana's gaze until she looked away and covered Alice back up. He leaned down and kissed Alice's forehead.

"Don't try to stop me." He told Mirana.

"No." She confirmed.

"I'm borrowing the bandersnatch." He said. He walked down to the stables and climbed onto its back. As he left the gates he shouted for all to hear,

"**DOWNAL WYTH BLUDDY BEHG HID!**"


	11. Cure

Riding on the bandersnatch was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He clung to the creature's fur as it ran all out in the direction of the Outlands. It didn't take long for Tarrant to realize that he had no idea where Stayne was. He had dismounted and sat with this head on his knees until he decided to start with the Outlands.

Meanwhile Mirana stood on the balcony that was attached to the healing rooms. She was staring in the direction that Tarrant went and praying with all her might that he wasn't too late, because him failing was something she couldn't even think about. She simmered in her frustration, _what is the point of being Queen when you have no control over the things that really matter?_ She stood up straight, walked to Alice's bed and said, "Champion, Alice, Friend. Do not die. Do you hear me? Don't you dare die. Your life is just starting, do _not _die!"

"My Queen?" McTwisp asked from the doorway.

"_I'm fine._ Gather the smallest creatures, the biggest birds. Tell them to spread out, find Stayne's hiding place and find Tarrant, give him all the information he needs. Then have them report back to me and tell me everything.

It was nineteen hours before a bird landed in from of Tarrant, Mally on its back.

"Mally." Tarrant said in greeting, not surprised in the least.

"Get up." She commanded. "We found Stayne's castle."

Tarrant didn't waste time asking questions; he jumped onto the bandersnatch and followed the bird towards Salazen Grum.

In Salazen Grum the Knave had been busy. Everything that was once red or white had been painted black. Tarrant slid off the back of the bandersnatch. He walked up to the gates and yelled for all to hear, "**DOWN with the bloody black king!**" He spread his arms wide and the gates opened, the Knave walked out. He wore his black heart shaped eye patch. He smiled cruelly.

"I suspect that you got my message, where's the rest of your band of lunatics?"

"I came alone." Tarrant said. "With a message of my own, tell me how to cure Alice…"he said. "Or die yourself." He leapt forward and stabbed the black arrow deep into Stayne's side.

Stayne yelled in pain and rage and slammed the back of his fist into Tarrant's face. At that moment the bandersnatch ran forward and grabbed Stayne by his clothing, if Tarrant hadn't been so angry he would have laughed at the ridiculous image of the Knave dangling helplessly from the bandersnatch's jaws.

"**Listen carefully, you Slurking urpal slackush scrum, you sent your message, now receive one of your own. I'm taking you back to the White Queen's castle. On the way, you'd better remember how to cure this poison or you will die yourself.**" The Knave was starting to weaken from blood loss and poison. Tarrant swung his leg over the bandersnatch and said. "**Take me to Alice.**"

Only once in the trip did Tarrant have trouble with the Knave. He started to stir when Tarrant transferred his unconscious form from the bandersnatch's mouth, to its back. "**If you try to run, or kill me, you will die.**" Tarrant growled, the Knave froze and didn't say a word until they reached the castle. They brought the Knave into the healing rooms; Mirana stopped Tarrant before he could enter.

"You did well, bringing him here, but don't go in there like that."

"**Like what?**"

"You know very well, Tarrant. Control yourself."

"_Thank you. I'm sorry._" He said, his eyes yellow. "Is she…?" Before he could finish the question he was interrupted by a yell of pain. He shoved his way past Mirana and stopped dead in his tracks. The chess piece guards had strapped the Knave to a bed, he was smiling.

Alice, meanwhile, was struggling against the arms trying to hold her down, writhing in pain. They struggled to pin her to the wall behind her bed, trying to force the cure down her throat. The poison had created black lines that spread up her neck and onto her face; her pale arms were crisscrossed with the lines. Tarrant shouldered through the crowd of healers. He grabbed Alice around her collarbone with one arm, around her stomach with the other and sat her back against his chest. He trapped her head underneath his chin and started talking to her.

"Alice, its me, you're going to be okay, I promise. It's okay, it's okay, I'm back. Stop fighting Alice, we're going to help you." A healer leapt forward and poured the cure down her throat, then did the same for the Knave. Apparently all she needed was a combination of pep-up potion (to cure the symptoms) and pishsalver (to shrink the poison), a combination that had never been heard of. As she lay there, shivering, Tarrant spoke to her, hoping the sound of his voice might help, he ran out of things to say so he recited:

'T'was brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!'

He took his vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe he sought -

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

And stood a while in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One two! One two! And through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'

He chortled in his joy.

'T'was brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

"It's all about you, you know." Tarrant whispered to her. The Knave laughed and laughed.

"**WHAT is so funny, dear Knave?" **Tarrant challenged.

"Her days as champion are over, now you are just praying to yourself that a mere girl can save you from what I have in store."

"**Oddly enough, I don't feel so intimidated by your words when you are flopping around on your back, the only thing you could do now is talk us to death and without you, the uprising will fall.**"

"What about you precious Alice? How is she?" the Knave smirked. "You waited an awfully long time to cure her."

"_Damn you… I'm fine._" Tarrant said, snapping out of his rage as Alice was mentioned. The poison had stopped its spread but it hadn't yet started to retreat.


	12. The Knave escapes

The Knave lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. There wasn't much else he could do, strapped to the bed as he was, but then again, he wouldn't be here for much longer. His left hand, the one facing away from the lunatic and his concubine, was working at the leather strap, slowly cutting it with the knife he had well hidden up his sleeve.

His hand finally broke free. As quietly as he could he released his other limbs from the restraints. A buckle clicked and the lunatic hatter turned around. With a cry of rage Tarrant threw himself at the Knave, he had bested him once in battle, he could do it again.

Tarrant ducked the Knaves powerful swing and punched him in the stomach with all the strength of his shoulder and arm behind it. The Knave kneed Tarrant in the ribs and punched him in the mouth. As Tarrant stepped forward to elbow the Knave in the throat and cut off his oxygen, the chess piece guards came charging in, Mirana in tow. Tarrant dodged the knife to the stomach that was the Knave's last attempt before he was grabbed by the guards and dragged down the hall.

"**We should never have cured that bastard.**" Tarrant said.

"We would have been no better than him if we hadn't" Mirana said.

Just then screams echoed from the courtyard. The two friends rushed to the balcony to look outside. The Knave stood at the gates, he blew a kiss up towards them and turned and walked away, leaving a path of injured and dying guards in his wake.

"Oh crap." Mirana said. Tarrant spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground.


	13. War council

Within an hour of the Knave's escape a council of war had been called. Mirana, McTwisp, Chess, Tarrant, Mally, the Tweedles, and Bayard all sat around a table, or on it, in Mally's case.

"You all know why we are here." Mirana started. "The Knave has escaped and will undoubtedly try to kill more of our people and take power for himself. This council of those who proved themselves in the resistance has been called to decide how we will combat this threat." Once she had finished speaking, everyone started yelling at once.

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" The Tweedles yelled.

"Perhaps if we negotiated…" McTwisp suggested.

"Make them all… _disappear_." Chess purred.

"**Crush the uprising like we crushed the bluddy behg hid!**" Tarrant roared.

"Let me at 'em!" Mally yelled.

"Hound him until he drops!" Bayard howled.

"Tea tray!" Thackery hollered as he entered the room with the hot tea. Starting with Tarrant, he handed out the cups and poured.

"Did you have a suggestion my friend?" Tarrant asked Thackery.

"Tea tray!" Thackery repeated, he threw the tray Frisbee-style at Chess. Chess evaporated and the tea tray flew to hit a bust, severing the head off of it.

"Oh dear." Mirana said, looking slightly queasy. She rallied her forces visibly and said, "I agree he needs to be… taken care of, but how will we accomplish this?"

Tarrant's head rose, his orange gaze meeting the eyes of everyone in the room. "**We do as Bayard said, we hound him until we find out where he is hiding. We do as Chess suggested and make all of his armies abandon him, or die trying to protect him. Then… tea tray sounds fine with me.**"

"Where do I come in?"

Tarrant fell backwards off of the table at the sound of her voice. He grabbed the table and pulled himself to his feet; in two long strides he had made it to the door and scooped Alice up in his arms in an embrace.

He could feel his eyes fading into the green of relief and happiness as he held her off the ground in his hug and swung her around. He placed her on the ground again and kissed her. When he pulled back to look at her, he didn't feel reassured. Her face was still very pale and her hands were shaking slightly.

"Are you alright, Hatter?" she asked.

"_I'm fine… Are you?_"

"I've felt better." Alice admitted. "I am ready to bring down the Knave, though. The healers filled me in, I missed rather a lot, didn't I?" Tarrant frowned at the gray tint to her veins and the dark circles under her eyes.

"You aren't bringing anyone down just now, love. You need to rest." Tarrant said gently.

"I beg to differ! I will be ready to join you whenever you go, and as champion, I need to b involved in this."

"I agree." Said Mirana.

"Mirana!" Tarrant yelped in shock. "You can't be serious! She needs time to heal. She can't be off fighting god knows what, she's barely standing!" Alice was indeed swaying a little.

"Then I will sit and only stand when necessary! I will do what I have to." She said, a little red coming into her cheeks.

"Alice, I know you are brave, I know you are strong, I know you love Underland, but you won't help anyone by getting yourself killed." Alice tried to push past him, but wasn't strong enough to move him, so instead she just stumbled to Tarrant's empty chair and sat down.

"Lets get to work." She said, and they did. They talked until the middle of the night when Tarrant carried Alice's weak and sleepy form to her room.

"Rest my stubborn love." Tarrant said, and left her to her dreams.


	14. The deciding battle

Three days later the stables looked like an overturned beehive, except for one corner. Alice prepared the bandersnatch for the battle, she wore no armor, that was strapped to the bandersnatch's back she didn't want to ware herself out trying to move round in it yet. Someone touched her shoulder and she whipped around so fast her head spun. Tarrant took hold of her arm.

"You're sure you want to do this?" he asked quietly. "No one would blame you for staying behind."

"I am sure I need to go, please stop trying to keep me here!" Alice said, tired of his worrying.

"Before you get any more angry than you already are at me, think if the tables were turned. If I was the one that had just narrowly escaped death, would you want me to go on this mission?"

"No." Alice admitted. "But you would go anyway." She pointed out.

"I know." Tarrant said with a smile. "Which is why I haven't knocked you out and dragged you back to the castle. Instead, I'm riding with you, if the bandersnatch can carry the Knave and I, it can carry us." Tarrant swung his leg over the bandersnatch's back and offered a hand to Alice. She took it and swung up in front of him.

"Hang on." She commanded and they went to meet the queen.

Before long the queen, the champion, and the royal hatter were riding in front of the majority of the White Queen's army, Alice was dosing off in Tarrant's arms, lying back against his chest.

"Are you asleep, love?" Tarrant whispered.

"No." Alice said.

"Are you still angry?"

"No. I love you, my Hatter."

"I love you too, my Champion." She didn't respond, she was asleep. Tarrant and the queen exchanged a worried look over her blond curls. When they made camp Tarrant sought out a private audience with the queen.

"You know if she fights, she will die." Tarrant said.

"I'm not blind." Mirana said.

"Yet, you didn't command her to stay behind. Why?" she looked as if she wasn't going to answer.

"I deserve to know! I am her friend, her lover, it has always been my job to look after her!"

"She can look out for herself." Mirana said.

"I know, but she gets in enough trouble for an army!" They laughed a little and Tarrant said, "I will make sure she makes it out alive, my queen." He left.

…

"This doesn't look good." Tarrant pointed out.

"Thank you for your assessment, Tarrant." Chess mocked.

"Well it doesn't!" he said.

"If you could all please lend me your ears." The Knave said. "I will fill you in on how this is going to go."

A few minutes before they had entered this valley, the trail they were on was closely bordered by two steep cliffs, immediately a magical shield had trapped the queen, the hatter, the champion, Thackery, Chess, and Mally, separating them from their army, and their only hope of aid.

"I propose a duel, me versus a champion of your choice, for the kingdom." The Knave said with a smug expression.

"Why one-on-one? Why not our army against yours?" Mirana asked.

"My dear queen, you underestimate yourself, your subjects are extremely loyal to you! When I win your kingdom, and I will win, I will need all my troops to keep order, keep the power you will give me. That shield you are standing behind will let one person and only one person through until one contestant or another wins the duel. Who shall my opponent be?" he asked.

"I've killed a Jabberwocky, how hard can a Knave be?" Alice asked. She stepped forward and was shoved to the side. Tarrant hurled himself through the shield before Alice could make it through.

"Sorry, Alice, but I can't just sit back and watch while you commit suicide." He said.

"Hatter! Are you _mad_? You'll get killed!" Alice cried in desperation.

"Thank you for your confidence, I appreciate it. I have no plans of getting killed today. I plan on winning the duel, winning back the kingdom, and winning Alice." He said, with a wink at his love. He unsheathed his sword and stepped toward the Knave. Stayne raised his own blade and swung at Tarrant's head.

Tarrant ducked and stabbed forward, Stayne danced out of reach. Tarrant parried Stayne's next swing and made a deep cut across Stayne's face. Stayne growled and swung with all his might. Tarrant's sword went flying into the rocks bordering the trail. Tarrant laughed nervously.

"Maybe after we're done, I'll take your champion as my own whore, then again maybe I'll just kill her. Off. With. Her. Head." Stayne said, punctuating each word with a swing at Tarrant. Tarrant was too quick; he dodged and ducked for his life.

"Time for TEA!" Thackery yelled from behind the shield. He threw the tea tray through the shield and Tarrant caught it. He used it to block the next swing from the Knave. As Stayne prepared for the next blow, Tarrant stepped into arm's reach and slammed the metal Tea tray against the side of his skull three times. Stayne dropped his sword and sagged onto the ground, nearly unconscious. Tarrant scooped up his sword and rested the tip on Stayne's throat.

"Yield." Tarrant commanded.

"I yield."Stayne said.

"Good." Tarrant said, then he raised his sword over his head and prepared to cut off Stayne's head.


	15. The aftermath

"No! Mirana yelled. She let go of Alice's hand, which she had taken as soon as Tarrant had started the fight, hoping to provide comfort to the younger woman. She didn't think Alice even felt it; she was too busy watching her love in battle.

Tarrant stopped himself mid-swing. Stayne shuddered, his body convulsed and he let out a breath. A black wisp of air, like smoke, rose up from his body. He collapsed back onto the rocky ground, his hair turned blond, his skin turned slightly tanner. He passed out.

Tarrant dropped his sword. Alice ran forward, he smiled at her and said, "I'm sorry I pushed you Alice." In reply, she punched him in the jaw. He almost fell over from the force of the blow.

"**Tarrant Hightopp! You forced me to stay out of the fighting, made me watch helpless, while you almost **_**died**_**, and you're sorry you **_**pushed **_**me?**"

"Yes, are you alright?"

In truth her head throbbed and she felt like she was going to shake out of her own skin. She grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. He wrapped his arms tight around her and kissed her back, their bodies pressed together. Mirana ran forward and embraced them. The Tweedles hugged Tarrant's legs, Chess purred. Tarrant and Alice somehow managed to swing themselves up onto the bandersnatch. They rode off for home, the unconscious Knave in tow.


	16. finish

Ilosovic Stayne scratched at the chains around his wrists binding him to the wall. He had stopped being annoyed a while ago and was now all out panicking. He couldn't believe what had happened, it had all been a dream right? He would get this all sorted out. The door outside his cell boomed open.

"Knave." The beautiful queen said in greeting.

"Knave? What the heck is that? My name is Ilosovic, Ilosovic Stayne, why am I here? What are you going to do to me?" he asked, still pulling at his chains.

"I know who you are, Stayne. You are here to be punished for your crimes."

"Crimes? What crimes? What are you talking about? Where's my family? I was with them…" he trailed off, trying to remember exactly where he _had _been before he woke up here."

"You are guilty of rebelling against the rightful queen, torturing innocent people, murdering, stealing, and probably anything else that rots the should, but we won't get into that. You are guilty of being the power behind the throne of the Red Queen, and trying to take power again after that. As for your family, you should know Ilosovic, you are the one who killed them all." The queen said in disgust.

"You can't be serious! I have no idea what you are talking about! I haven't done anything! I'm just a blacksmith, and what the bloody hell happened to my eye? I can't see out of it!"

"I grow tired of this. I will return when you are done playing games." The White Queen left him there, in the dark.

Meanwhile, Alice swam through the cool, clear water. Tarrant waded in after her with her clothes still on. He ducked under the water and surfaced next to Alice, grabbing her around the waist and pulling them both under, he kissed her surrounded by the water, and his eyes were open to see how she looked through the blue.

They laughed and Tarrant savored the sound of Alice's laughter. She looked at him strangely.

"What?" Tarrant asked.

"I always thought this was paint." Alice said, stroking his cheek. He looked surprised.

"Why would it be paint?" he asked. She looked confused and swam towards him; she unbuttoned the top of his shirt and saw that his perfectly white skin continued on his chest. She realized what she was doing, blushed, and backed off while he re-buttoned his shirt.

"I don't know. No one in Upperland is this pale." She explained.

"Don't you like it?" Her Hatter asked.

"No, I don't like it." She said. His face fell. "I love it." She said, smiling mischievously. He grinned and splashed her. They had a long splash fight; it ended with Tarrant tackling her into the water again. He was so happy to see her happy and healthy. He removed his hand from the water; in his fingers was the ring that had been burning a hole in his pocket since he had put it there a week ago.

"Will you marry me Alice?" he asked. She nearly tripped in the water, which would have taken some talent.

"Are you kidding?" she asked, before he could take it the wrong way she added, "Of course, I will marry you Hatter!"

FIN!

I hope if you have stayed with this story this long, you liked it. If you liked it enough, please keep an eye out for a sequel!

Fairfarren my readers, until next time!

-Athena


End file.
